


Feline and Songbird

by EuphoricHuman



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, My First Work in This Fandom, Post-Time Skip, Singing, Soft Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-14 22:02:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20855015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EuphoricHuman/pseuds/EuphoricHuman
Summary: The evening winds brought a certain chill to the renowned Garreg Mach Monastery. Sobering the cheerful cries of the latest victory celebration that quietly settled earlier that eveningThe empty atmosphere that rested in the once joyful docks, now left abandoned, was the perfect place for any person to seek some much-needed isolation. After bearing such an overwhelming crowd of people just happy to be alive for far too long, in such a downcast mindset as she found herself.Annette Fantine Dominic was one such person.





	Feline and Songbird

**Author's Note:**

> Fire Emblem: Three Houses has consumed my life. I have about 150 hours logged into my Nintendo Switch, and I haven't even started a Black Eagles or Church of Serios route yet (I've completed Golden Deer and Blue Lions). 
> 
> Consuming my life has thus lead me to write fiction for one of my favourite pairs that are so criminally under-served. I love Felix and Annette. I love their ship dynamic. I love everything about these two.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading this fiction as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The evening winds brought a certain chill to the renowned Garreg Mach Monastery. Sobering the cheerful cries of the latest victory celebration that quietly settled earlier that evening. As people returned to making preparations for the next advance, whatever it would be, and of that, no one was certain. The empty atmosphere that rested in the once joyful docks, now left abandoned, was the perfect place for any person to seek some much-needed isolation. After bearing such an overwhelming crowd of people just happy to be alive for far too long, in such a downcast mindset as she found herself.

Annette Fantine Dominic was one such person.

After quietly confirming the absence of any wandering souls in the docks, Annette found herself slumped into the back corner beside the staircase leading up to the dining hall. She felt she held up appearances considerably well, given her shaky mindset. She conversed and laughed with all manner of people at the celebration, and of that, she was proud. They did not see her fall apart, as she was about to, crouching into this corner.

That battle. The screams. The faces. She would remember it all, for the rest of her days. No manner of celebration would let her forget them. She had fought in countless battles before, but none as striking as the battle at Gronder Field.

Lost in her mind, she failed to notice the warm tears hastily falling from her face. The tears landing on her knees, tucked up to her chin, shook her from her inward thoughts.

“Get a grip of yourself…” she mumbled harshly, swiftly wiping her tears away.

Annette looked up after messily drying her face, to find one of the monasteries cats lying at her feet, cleaning their front right paw. The large cat had an almost completely black coat of fur, with only a small amount of white cresting over the crown of their head. As Annette examined the cat, staring kindly at the creature, the cat continued to clean their paw, unaware of the audience of one of whom they have gained attention.

“Hello, little fella – how are you? I hope you’re having a better evening than I am right now.” The cat continued to clean their paw, unaware or uncaring, of the human trying to converse with them. “My name’s Annette – though I guess you can’t tell me your name, or even if you have one. If you don’t have one… would you like me to give you one?” This gained the cat’s attention, as they stopped cleaning their paw, and raised its eyes to stare into Annette’s. “I’ll take that as a no. How nice would it be if cats like you could talk? Or perhaps sing?” This childish thought brought Annette to a subtle giggle, as she considered, “Perhaps I could name you Twilight, as that’s the current hour of evening? Do you prefer that name, Twilight? Or would you like something else?” Concluding her outward thoughts, Annette’s eyes tried to meet the cat’s but soon realized that the cat had returned to their tasks, unconcerned with Annette’s conundrum. A hearty snicker welled up from within Annette, as she admired the cat a final time.

The silence of the evening winds began sweeping into the docks again, and along with them too, did the memories of the battle. Unwilling to allow those thoughts to cloud her mind anymore, she began to hum. The melody wasn’t anything significant, delicate and comforting, nothing more or less. Though, as she continued, her thoughts returned to the cat, still laying in front of her. Annette’s simple melody soon begot simple lyrics. She thought of the cat, uncaring of all the troubles that suffocate the space around them, simply content to exist in their little world. Unlike all of her songs, youthful and optimistic, this tune carried a certain weariness. Annette struggled to compose hopeful lyrics for the soft tune. The uncaring attitude of the cat seemed to infect her normally cheerful melodies, and the sound soon melted into something lonely and heartbroken. Annette thought as she sang, that the only audience member she had for her performance was this feline, still facing away from her. She was blissfully unaware of the skilled swordsman who stood atop the stairs, unknowingly lured by the songbird’s call.

Felix adored Annette’s voice, even though he would hesitate to admit it to anyone. Her voice was bright and jubilant, to say nothing of her lyrics, all of which played consistently in his mind. Annette’s songs were something he could focus on in the haze of training or battle, a radiant light in a bloody field. That field. He shook his head harshly. He refused to acknowledge that battle and everything that followed in the aftermath. He needed to focus and move forward, not fall back into the despair of the past. As such, Felix was returning to his room after a particularly intense session in the training hall, when he heard a familiar voice being carried along with the wind. Annette’s voice attracted him like a siren’s call did a sailor. Everything else mattered not, besides the source of the song. Felix’s feet moved without his consent to the docks, to Annette. What he discovered broke his heart, if it wasn’t fractured already.

A redhead with red tinting her eyes and cheeks, tucked away in the far corner of the docks, singing the saddest song he’s ever heard. Annette had not noticed him turn the corner, so her song continued undisturbed. Felix was conflicted as to whether he should go comfort her himself, something he was not very experienced at doing well, or maybe he should go search for one of her close friends to comfort her instead? His feet moved forward regardless, already confident of his answer, even if he wasn’t.

Annette heard footsteps clacking on the stone before she saw the person who caused them, as there could only be one person to whom they belonged. Her singing stopped before even she was aware of what was happening. “Felix?” She called out; her emotional state clear in the thickness of her voice.

“Hi, Annette.” Felix hesitantly replied, his pace forward stalled.

“Felix? What-what are you doing?” Curious slant to her tone, even though she knew exactly what he was doing.

“I–I heard singing. The sound led me to you.” Felix dumbfoundedly replied.

“Oh. Yeah, I thought that would be the case.” Annette’s head lowered, shielding her from Felix’s concerned gaze. Felix stepped forward hesitantly towards her, afraid any reckless movement would startle her in her unstable state.

“Annette –”

“Felix – please. Not right now. I know you like to make fun of my songs, and I know you don’t mean to be hurtful. I know they’re embarrassing. But, Felix. Please – not right now. Maybe later, okay?”

Annette’s hurried plea cut off Felix, exploding at first, and then simmering almost as soon as it was lit. Felix continued to step forward ever slowly, utterly silent to her request. Annette’s eyes shot up to look at Felix as he continued to move towards her. She couldn’t see before as Felix was too far away, but as he moved forward, Annette could see subtle tears barely forming along his waterline. She would dare never to point it out, for if she did, he would flee along with the wind.

Felix was standing beside her now, staring down below to her crouching form, still completely silent. Annette wide-eyed underneath his looming presence.

“Annette. What happened?” Felix simply asked.

“What?” Annette hastily replied.

Felix scoffed, “What happened? To make you cry. To make you sing… that.”

“What happened…?” Annette considered out loud. “Nothing. Not really.”

“Not really? Annette, you won’t be able to convince me that whatever happened was just nothing. Not after what I heard you sing,” Felix returned. “So, please Annette. Tell me what happened. Or, maybe tell the cat? And I’ll, uh… just sit here. If that’s what you want?” Felix signaled to a spot next to Annette, and she slowly nodded her head.

After Felix settled beside Annette the wind picked up once more, bringing with it an awkward silence between the pair. This frozen atmosphere lasted for a few moments longer, until Annette softly spoke up, gesturing towards the cat, “I thought I would name them Twilight. I thought it was fitting – their fur, the time… I thought it was nice. But they didn’t seem to mind either way.” Annette commented, and Felix hummed in acknowledgment. Once more the silence returned, albeit less uncomfortable.

“How can everyone celebrate when _that _just happened?” Annette grieved. Felix was stunned, torn out of the shared comfortable silence to her cries, and if he was to reply, he was unable to do so, as Annette pressed forward in her outburst.

“How do we go from massacring people we _knew_, people we saw every single day – our friends – to a celebration? How are we expected to go on like everything is okay? None of this is okay, Felix.” Annette took a breath, as Felix remained speechless.

“I was trying to hold everything in, keep my smile up, for everyone – but after that? I couldn’t. I needed to cry. It was so hard, fighting our former classmates. And then, Rodrigue –” Annette clasped her hands over her mouth, eyes struck with awareness. Felix’s visage glazed over with an unnamable expression written over his face, turning his head to face towards the ground, away from Annette.

“Felix. Oh, Felix. I–I am so sorry. Here I am talking about my problems when you just lost your father.” Concern and apology was laden throughout her sweet voice, it made Felix turn his head back to her face, the same unnamable expression coating his gaze. The wind around them remained still for a few moments, awaiting with anticipation.

“The old man. My father.” Felix sighed, releasing a lifetime of pent up irritation in one instance. “I don’t know what to think anymore. All–all I can do is move forward.” He chocked. “I won’t lie to you Annette, it hurts. I… I’m… sad. I’m sad. My father was… frustrating. To say the least,” he chuckled without any warmth. “I wanted–I wanted him to hurt. He cared more about the Boar Prince than both his sons!” Felix cried. “But I never wanted him to die.” He mumbled softly, unspeakable pain washed over his face, and tears poured over his cheeks. Annette rushed to console him, and Felix in a rare moment of overwhelming emotion allowed the comfort from the redhead. She held him as he sobbed into her chest. He burrowed into her warmth, despite the chill of the air.

As Felix wept into her chest, Annette, overcome with pain herself, couldn’t bear to see such a strong man so fundamentally torn up inside. So, she began to hum. Unlike before, the tune was considerably lighter in tone. Annette hummed absentmindedly for a while as she held Felix. Until he abruptly pulled away from her, turning to face away, bringing his arm to scrub his eyes and cheeks.

“Felix –“

“Forget what happened, Annette.” Felix expressed to Annette, still looking away from her.

“But –“

“Annette.” Felix pleaded as he turned to face Annette once more, his eyes silently begging her to drop the subject.

“Okay.” Annette relented.

The winds picked up once more, this time bring a considerably deeper chill, that sank even into Annette, and she shivered. Felix took notice of this and suggested, “Maybe, we should head inside. It’s getting colder out.”

“Alright, let’s.” Annette agreed solemnly.

Felix stood up quicker than Annette did, as he had been seated for a shorter time. Annette was still halfway into a kneeling position when she was suddenly pulled by Felix’s hand into his chest, and his arms wrapped around her encasing her in an embrace.

“Felix? What – “

“You’re so kind. War is hard for everyone, but especially hard on the kind. But that battle was awful no matter who you were. We barely made it out from that fool’s errand. We were lucky.” Felix paused. “I don’t know what I’m saying… just – don’t feel bad about mourning those people who died, if you cared about them, at least.” Felix offered, before continuing. “And I… like your songs. I just… I never want to hear you sing that one again. Please.” Felix moved Annette away only far enough to look her in the eyes, imploring her no longer with words.

Annette was warmly wrapped into Felix’s arms and pressed up against his chest. She was too exhausted to comment or argue any further so she wordlessly agreed with the nod of her head.

“Let’s head inside, Annette.” Felix tenderly proposed as the wind picked up.

Annette burrowed deeper into his chest at the convenient chill, and Felix let her.

Once the morning light shined through the curtains of the monastery, the wind was gentle and no black-furred cat could be found along the docks.

**Author's Note:**

> This was quite emotional, huh? That's certainly what I was aiming for.
> 
> I love writing outwardly strong characters emotionally breaking down, it's so much fun.
> 
> If you liked this, and want to see me write more for this relationship (as I definitely intend to do, because we need content), maybe comment on some suggestions for stories you'd like to see me write.
> 
> Thank you so very much for reading.


End file.
